Many people are concerned that an innocent man is about to be put to death. I know this, and I understand it. I am not likewise concerned, however, and I want to explain why.

The only information the public has had in the 17 years since Troy Davis' conviction has been generated by people ideologically opposed to the death penalty, regardless of the guilt or innocence of the accused.

While they have shouted, we have been silent. The canons of legal ethics prohibit a lawyer - prosecutor and defense counsel alike - from commenting publicly, or engineering public comments, on the issue of guilt or innocence in a pending criminal case.

Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled, the case is over, and I can try to tell our side.

First , Davis' advocates have insisted that there was no physical evidence in the case. This is not true.

Crime lab tests proved that the shell casings recovered from the shooting of Michael Cooper at a party earlier in the evening were fired from the same weapon as the casings recovered from the scene of Officer Mark MacPhail's murder. Davis was convicted of shooting Cooper.

And, while it isn't physical evidence, consider the "testimony" of Officer MacPhail himself: When he comes to the rescue of a homeless man being harassed and pistol-whipped, the officer ran past Sylvester Coles on his way to catch Davis. This makes Davis the only one of those two with a motive to shoot Officer MacPhail. Yet Davis' lawyers argue to condemn Coles for shooting MacPhail. Why would he?

In fact, Davis' advocates are eager to condemn Coles based on evidence far weaker than their characterization of the evidence against Davis. Where is their sense of fairness? This is the same Sylvester Coles who promptly presented himself to police, and who was advised by counsel to tell all that he knew - with his lawyer not even present. Which he did. No lawyer who even faintly suspects a client of criminal conduct would let him talk to the police without counsel.

Second , they claim that seven of nine witnesses have recanted their trial testimony. This is not believable.

To be sure, they've produced affidavits; a few handwritten and apparently voluntarily and spontaneous, except for concluding with "further the affiant sayeth not." Who wrote that stuff? The lawyers, perhaps?

The law is understandably skeptical of post-trial "newly-discovered evidence."

Such evidence as these affidavits might, for example, be paid for, or coerced, or the product of fading memory.

If every verdict could be set aside by the casual acceptance of a witness's changing his mind or suggesting uncertainty, decades after the event, it is easy to see how many cases would have to be tried at least twice (perhaps ad infinitum).

Thus the law sets strict standards for such "newly discovered" evidence.

For example, it cannot be for a lack of diligence that the new evidence was not discovered sooner, and the defendant is expected to present that evidence at the earliest possible time.

Yet these affidavits were not offered in a motion for new trial until eight days before the first scheduled execution in 2008 seventeen years after Davis' conviction. If this affidavit evidence was so compelling, why didn't they rush to seek a new trial in 2003 when they had most of the affidavits they now rely upon? Or collect those affidavits earlier?

Each of the now-"recanting" witnesses was closely questioned at trial by lawyers representing Davis, specifically on the question whether they were in any way pressured or coerced by police in giving their statements or testimony. All denied it.

And while an 80 percent recantation rate - the first in the history of the world ? - may seem to some as overwhelmingly persuasive, to others of us it invites a suggestion of uncanny coincidence, making it very difficult to believe.

Third , they claim that their "newly discovered evidence" (i.e., the recantations) hasn't been adequately considered by the courts. This is not true.

The affidavits, in various combinations, had already been reviewed by 29 judges in seven different types of review, over the course of 17 years, before Tuesday's ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The state Parole Board halted the execution in 2007, saying they wouldn't allow a possibly innocent man to be executed. Then, after more than a year of reviewing all of the evidence on both sides, and hearing from every witness Davis' lawyers presented - including Davis - they refused to grant clemency.

The trial was fair. Davis was represented by superbly skilled criminal defense lawyers. He was convicted by a fair jury (seven black and five white). The post conviction stridency we've seen has been much about the death penalty and little about Troy Davis.

The jury found that Davis, after shooting another man earlier in the evening, murdered a police officer who came to the rescue of a homeless man Davis had beaten. Mark MacPhail had never even drawn his weapon.

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Strange, that the link referred to by the District Attorney cannot be found when one clicks on it. Further attempts to access the aforementioned states that the site may not exist. When was Davis convicted of shooting Cooper? Did the District Attorneys try to kill(no pun intended)two birds with one stone by trying Davis for the shooting of Officer MacPhail and add the Cooper shooting but never refer to it? When the jury convicted Troy Davis for the officer's shooting, was there some hidden understanding that he was being convicted for the Cooper shooting also? Two men supposedly had fled when the homeless man was beaten, Officer MacPhail goes after both of them. One stops and he goes past the suspect who stopped to pursue the one who is still running. The one who had stopped could have came up behind him(MacPhail) while he was chasing his partner. So while the District Attorney is saying consider the "testimony" of Officer MacPhail, one should take into account this "testimony" of Officer MacPhail as to proper police procedure and whether he (MacPhail)followed it. Mr. Lawton contends that witnesses denied being pressured by the police, that is a bare-face lie. Mr. Lawton is a lame duck who is stepping down after this term and he is throwing his shovelful of dirt on Davis in advance. He wouldn't know a correct verdict if he tripped over one.

Troy Davis can not lose either way, With a Pardon, Clemency, or death because he will go to heaven, to his maker, home and maybe even Officer MacPhail is there and they will be joined as spiritual brothers for all eternity. Think about it Governor Of Georgia and Parole and Pardon Board is that what you really want to do? Because that could happen, Gee is that What McPhail's mother would want? Well again Troy Davis will win either way, because God is on his side!

As for against the death penalty, those who believe, know that Troy is innocent some are because of that reason and still some others of course too do not believe the death penalty is right in any case because if you say murder is wrong but then you kill someone for that then you are just like them! So you too are then guilty of murder, whatever you think your reason to justify death still makes you a murderer.

Believable that people recant their testimony, yes it happens and as they say the truth sometimes cannot be suppressed. People make mistakes and some try to set the story straight. Yes it is late, hopefully not too late even though it has been far so late that Troy and his loved ones have suffered so, while the guilty one is out there somewhere free. Justice will come maybe not in the way we count on but God will have his way, one day Troy will die just like we all will and come before the ultimate Judge who truly is Supreme and Just and Fair, Holy, Holy, Holy is He!Mercy & Grace will be given to those who have been merciful and those who have not given grace and mercy will be cut off just as they have done to others.That will be worse then if Troy should be executed because it could seal their fate, not his.~ Troy's fate is in his faith, secure and divine. ~

Rose Marie, you do realize how much of this article your three ramblings proved as correct, don't you? You claim that it doesn't have to be based on the death penalty, but you still know him to be innocent. If so, just name one valid reason why he is, otherwise, please take the advice I give to him. Mr Davis, quit Crying and let both the MacPhail family and your own move forward. It's just not fair to them. If he wants a seat in heaven, he'll need to confess first anyway, and as he said himself, No Way!!!
We'll see, but something tells me he's going to be in the boiler room.

He's lied for years about this thing. Just say he "is" lying? Would he then be forgiven for his actions by God if he went to his grave and never told the truth, had his family and the victims torn apart, and had people like yourself devoted to defending a liar.
Just food for thought. It's Gods choice who gets in up there, but I believe the word says that you have to seek forgiveness, and stopping the lies would be the only way to get absolution, right?
So how about instead of the protest, send him a microphone so that he can make peace with the world before he goes. It's about time he man up and just take what's obviously coming now.

“Davis’ advocates have insisted that there was no physical evidence in the case. This is not true.”

Crime lab tests proved that the shell casings recovered from the shooting of Michael Cooper at a party earlier in the evening were fired from the same weapon as the casings recovered from the scene of Officer Mark MacPhail’s murder.

“And, while it isn’t physical evidence…”

—

Excuse me?

First you say the claims of no physical evidence are not true

Then you admit that what they say is physical evidence, actually, um, isn’t

Come again???

So basically, you’re accepting that no, there ISN’T physical evidence.

Don't contradict yourself.

Troy Davis is innocent. Just because the law has damaged his appeal process (read: Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996), doesn't make him guilty. Has it not occurred to you that the high rate of recantations is because the witnesses did lie in the original trial?

Obviously not.

But when it comes to an (innocent) man's life, what does and doesn't occur to you isn't important.

And, oh, just because the same person shot both people (Cooper and MacPhail), doesn't mean it was Troy Davis. No, what it means is the same person shot both people. Are people aware that a witness has said that Sylvester Coles ditched a gun of the exact same caliber as the murder weapon [caliber proven by gun ballistics; murder weapon never found] shortly after the crime.

After reading the DA's opinion piece, I looked for the opposing opinion. I have not found the "point - counterpoint" page, or the opposite viewpoint editorial. Was it published on a different day? (Thanks in advance for providing both sides of the story.)

I have some questons about what was missing and perceived contradictions in Mr. Lawton's article. I did go to the recommended web page and found that it was the home page for the victim's hotline that had nothing to do with the case.
1)Were Mr. Davis' fingerprints found on the gun or shell casings?
2) Why is it so unbelievable that Mr. Coles could have shot Officer MacPhail? There is no record or testimony that he caught up with Mr. Davis. He did catch up to and pass Mr. Coles. (This is not a condemnation of Coles, it is reasonable doubt.)
3) First you say that the recantations were never brought up until 8 years later and then you say the "affacadvits, in various combinations, had been reviewed over the past 17 years." Which is it?
4) Mr. Coles lawyer was Mr. Coles lawyer. Why didn't he/she insist on being present when he "told all" - unwilling to suborn perjury comes to mind. Not being present is more questionable, if one considers one's client important enough for one's attention.
4) What is the magic number for recantations, Mr. Lawton? Would only one or maybe two have gotten Mr. Davis a review by the Supreme Cout?
My point here is that we see from where we stand. You are in the business of convicting people. Years of experience have to have taught you that juries believe that if a person is arrested, he/she must be guilty. The system has become a "prove you are innocent" experience.
5) Upon what did the Parole Board decide it did not want to execute a man who "could possibly be innocent?" Surely, they did not make that determination on a whim. What NEW information could they have gotten in the "year" they reviewed the case? More importantly, what kind of pressure were they subjected to?
You all just want this over and it looks like you are going to get your way. Over doesn't necessarily mean closure. There are still doubts and the awful pain and suffering of the family cannot override that nor can political expediency. Will we ever evolve into a society where upholding the law is synonymous with justice?

Whatever your thoughts of his innocence, consider for a moment that he did do it. Assuming that he did, what kind of hell has he caused for so many. You've got fanaticism attached to this case on both sides of the field. I just hope that if he knows in his heart the truth, he dies telling it. If he did as convicted, it would be very good to the victims family and those who've been supporting him for so long to just tell the truth. All of the recants are frat with discrepancies that invalidate them. (convenience not even being counted in their lack of validity) entire scenarios had changed, and looked to be coerced by Davis supporters ie... invalid for review.
Show one bit of evidence that relieves him of his burden...
And yes, after conviction, it is his legal opportunity to prove himself innocent, not the other way around (ie... innocent "until" proven guilty)

History shows that higher rates of recantations always lead to a trail of misconduct of the supporters of the convicted. The ones here show some major coaching has transpired. Have you even read the originals next to the recants. They're obviously fudged in the more recent form, not the originals. The recants were practically written by a legal team with an authorship that could sell novels.

DVK, I agree. I too would like to an article from a different perspective to balance Mr. Lawton's piece. It's important to have both sides of the story.

Also, Mr. Lawton's claim that Mr. Davis was represented by "superbly skilled criminal defense lawyers" is not true. For five years, Mr. Davis was not provided with any legal representation. While Mr. Davis's case proceeded through the courts, the budget of the Georgia Resource Center stated in an affidavit that, "We were simply trying to avert total disaster rather than provide any kind of active or effective representation."

Also, there have been many supporters of the death penalty who have publicly criticized the decision to proceed with Troy Davis' execution. One example is William Sessions, former FBI director and current supporter of the death penalty. Therefore, Mr. Lawton's statement that criticism is "generated by people ideologically opposed to the death penalty" is also not true.

I look forward to reading a piece on the Troy Davis case that is based on the facts.

. . . to undermine our confidence in a verdict based on implausible testimony?

I confess that I am confused; seven recantations from independent witnesses are too many to be believed? Just how many liars have to recant to undo a conviction based on perjured testimony, Mr. Lawton? If seven is too many, will five or six do? Would you actually concede the reliability of the recantation evidence if there were only one or two? Or would you point to the non-recanting witnesses to defend your conviction?

Your suggestion that the claims of police intimidation and coercion only surfaced recently is belied by the trial record. In 1991, at trial, Darrell “D.D.” Collins – a juvenile - testified that he was interrogated for hours and threatened with arrest. It was under those circumstances that he provided a statement implicating Troy Davis. Collins “told [the detective] what he wanted to hear.” T. 1135. “ ‘Cause [Collins] was scared, [and] didn’t want to go to jail.” T. 1145. The police told him “if I don’t cooperate with them, that I’m gonna be in prison for ten to twelve years.” T. 1135.

Dorothy Ferrell called defense counsel, hours after testifying at trial, and confessed that her testimony implicating Troy Davis was false. When Ferrell was arrested and brought back to court, she let her perjured testimony stand out of fear that if she did not stick with the story she would be imprisoned for up to 10 years. The trial proceeded without any investigation into the claims of police coercion revealed at trial.

The clear record and undisputed circumstances of the eyewitnesses’ observations flatly contradict your suggestion that their recantations are incredible last-minute concoctions. Indeed, given the implausibility of the evidence used at trial, these recantations are hardly surprising.

When you presented these nine witnesses to the jury, you assured the jury that they could trust your witnesses. However, most provided implausible testimony.

Decades of scientific studies confirm that distance, lighting, duration of crime, weapon-focus, other race effect. can impede ability to encode sufficient detail to make an accurate identification later. Moreover, a witness’ memory of the assailant’s face is malleable. Even unintentional suggestions – let alone the overt pressure alleged here – can contaminate memory and lead the witness to confidently identify the wrong person. In the absence of expert testimony explaining that there is no significant correlation between accuracy and confidence, jurors typically put great weight on eyewitness certainty. Davis’ trial attorneys did not call an expert; the jurors were instructed they could consider certainty when judging the reliability of these identifications.

Dorothy Ferrell was standing at least 160 feet away from the scene. It is impossible to observe sufficient facial detail at that distance. What explains her selection of Davis? The detectives showed Ferrell a single photo of Davis prior to the official identification and told her that he was the shooter. When later asked if she recognized the shooter from a group of five photos, she selected the photo previously shown to her.

The other witnesses were in the dimly-lit parking lot and in the line of fire during the few seconds that transpired from Sylvester “Redd” Coles’ threat to shoot Larry Young to the shooting death of Officer MacPhail.

Stephen Sanders – one of eight passengers in a van ordering food at the drive-thru window after a night of drinking – was unable to identify the shooter that night. A month later, Sanders still could not identify the shooter. Neither could his companions. Yet, two years later, Sanders identified Troy Davis at trial. Memory does not improve over time.

Antione Williams initially reported that he saw an armed man (instigator) arguing with Larry Young as the instigator stood in front of Young. Williams saw the instigator pistol-whip Young and shoot Officer MacPhail. (Redd testified that he was the only one hassling Young. Redd conceded, as did the other witnesses, that Troy Davis never said a word to Young.) Over the next ten days, Williams viewed the wanted poster prominently displayed at his place of employment, with the same photo of Davis shown used in the photo array. Even after repeated exposure Williams was only 60% sure that Davis was the shooter.

Harriet Murray was in the parking lot waiting for Young to return. She saw one man (later identified as Redd) hassling Young for his beer as he walked back to the lot. She heard that man threaten Young, “You don’t know me. I’ll shoot you.” (Redd admitted that he – and only he - made this threat.) Murray saw him pull a gun out of his waistband. At that point, she ran for cover.

Larry Young told the police, as he bled from his untreated head injury, that he was not sure who hit him because “everything happened so fast.”

Does the public have any reason to feel confident that these eyewitnesses were accurately identifying Officer MacPhail’s killer? It is not even a close question.

The State’s determination to kill Troy Davis will not change the truth – Troy Davis was convicted on implausible eyewitness testimony.

Below, I quote another respondant. These recantations happened over a long period of time. They were not fly-by-night, grasping at straws, last minute inventions. They are not only plausible: they are compelling.

"Your suggestion that the claims of police intimidation and coercion only surfaced recently is belied by the trial record. In 1991, at trial, Darrell “D.D.” Collins – a juvenile - testified that he was interrogated for hours and threatened with arrest. It was under those circumstances that he provided a statement implicating Troy Davis. Collins “told [the detective] what he wanted to hear.” T. 1135. “ ‘Cause [Collins] was scared, [and] didn’t want to go to jail.” T. 1145. The police told him “if I don’t cooperate with them, that I’m gonna be in prison for ten to twelve years.” T. 1135.

Dorothy Ferrell called defense counsel, hours after testifying at trial, and confessed that her testimony implicating Troy Davis was false. When Ferrell was arrested and brought back to court, she let her perjured testimony stand out of fear that if she did not stick with the story she would be imprisoned for up to 10 years. The trial proceeded without any investigation into the claims of police coercion revealed at trial.

The clear record and undisputed circumstances of the eyewitnesses’ observations flatly contradict your suggestion that their recantations are incredible last-minute concoctions. Indeed, given the implausibility of the evidence used at trial, these recantations are hardly surprising.

When you presented these nine witnesses to the jury, you assured the jury that they could trust your witnesses. However, most provided implausible testimony.

Decades of scientific studies confirm that distance, lighting, duration of crime, weapon-focus, other race effect. can impede ability to encode sufficient detail to make an accurate identification later. Moreover, a witness’ memory of the assailant’s face is malleable. Even unintentional suggestions – let alone the overt pressure alleged here – can contaminate memory and lead the witness to confidently identify the wrong person. In the absence of expert testimony explaining that there is no significant correlation between accuracy and confidence, jurors typically put great weight on eyewitness certainty. Davis’ trial attorneys did not call an expert; the jurors were instructed they could consider certainty when judging the reliability of these identifications.

Dorothy Ferrell was standing at least 160 feet away from the scene. It is impossible to observe sufficient facial detail at that distance. What explains her selection of Davis? The detectives showed Ferrell a single photo of Davis prior to the official identification and told her that he was the shooter. When later asked if she recognized the shooter from a group of five photos, she selected the photo previously shown to her.

The other witnesses were in the dimly-lit parking lot and in the line of fire during the few seconds that transpired from Sylvester “Redd” Coles’ threat to shoot Larry Young to the shooting death of Officer MacPhail.

Stephen Sanders – one of eight passengers in a van ordering food at the drive-thru window after a night of drinking – was unable to identify the shooter that night. A month later, Sanders still could not identify the shooter. Neither could his companions. Yet, two years later, Sanders identified Troy Davis at trial. Memory does not improve over time.

Antione Williams initially reported that he saw an armed man (instigator) arguing with Larry Young as the instigator stood in front of Young. Williams saw the instigator pistol-whip Young and shoot Officer MacPhail. (Redd testified that he was the only one hassling Young. Redd conceded, as did the other witnesses, that Troy Davis never said a word to Young.) Over the next ten days, Williams viewed the wanted poster prominently displayed at his place of employment, with the same photo of Davis shown used in the photo array. Even after repeated exposure Williams was only 60% sure that Davis was the shooter.

Harriet Murray was in the parking lot waiting for Young to return. She saw one man (later identified as Redd) hassling Young for his beer as he walked back to the lot. She heard that man threaten Young, “You don’t know me. I’ll shoot you.” (Redd admitted that he – and only he - made this threat.) Murray saw him pull a gun out of his waistband. At that point, she ran for cover.

Larry Young told the police, as he bled from his untreated head injury, that he was not sure who hit him because “everything happened so fast.”

Does the public have any reason to feel confident that these eyewitnesses were accurately identifying Officer MacPhail’s killer? It is not even a close question.

The State’s determination to kill Troy Davis will not change the truth –Troy Davis was convicted on implausible eyewitness testimony."

This is the best example of a bad series of comments I have seen in a long time, if ever.

The number and length of the comments are nothing more that the re-hashing of the same things that have been brought up in courts over and over again. Lies retold are still lies. There have been thousands of inches of newspaper artilcles supporting Davis and in contrast almost noe supporting his execution.

Every issue brought up saying that various things have not been brought up, have in fact been brought before the courts. The fact that certain things were turned down in appeals is all the proof that is needed to prove that they were considered.

"Both sides of the story." Yes, lots more about the case its self, lots more about the people doing the recants, lots more about the people getting the recants. Lots more about perjury!

1:if all you say here is True and troy Davis really is as guilty as you portray him here, what better Way would there be to show THAT to the World ( and especially to the Abolishionists!!), then to HAVE A NEW TRIAL(not forever just ONCE). Because then everyone could in fact see HOW right and without Mistakes and Coverups etc. the Georgia Justice System has functioned and How trully Guilty Troy is.
You would have nothing to loose, in fact Gain only. That is IF all of the above stated was indeed true.
2: Not long ago a confessed Murderer got HIS Death sentence commuted, by the very same Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, into a Life sentence without Parole-He is a confessed, white Murderer!!
Why cant a Equal Opportunity be granted to Troy Davis, who untill this Day swears to his Innocence and never wavered to do so!?????????
ERGO: There are certain Suspicions that arrise here and they are that THE GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA knows!!! THEY MADE GRIEVOUS MISTAKES here and Now trying BY ANY MEANS!! to cover them up-IF NOT why not profit from a second trial.....And the other one is a very ugly feeling that times of Racisms arent over in America and that even a white confessed!! Killer is Worth more then a Black Man whose Guilt is at least surrounded by inequalities and Doubts.....
In Texas a Black Man got dragged to Death by two white Man with their Truck this year and they got tried for HIT and Run....
Thats it!!!
Maeby you understand my point, maeby you still care to be equal and fair to all people OR maeby u trying to stear up racial conflicts so Obama will after all NOT become President.....and Troy is the Scapegoat for it....?????????????????????????????????????
Veganlove from Europe

People I reckon in order to keep freedom we have to be able to listen to the mentally retarted just as well as the truely informed. I do not mean that as a personal attack upon you, but for the last ten years i have heard nothing but the rambling of the uniformed and not very smart talking heads. So you will understand where I am coming from. I was on the jury that found Troy Davis guilty of murder. I and one of the jurist had a gentleman try to intimatidate us. One of my kids was called by these people at the same time we were deciding the trail and after I was taken home my son was followed off of our property the night I got home. I and my wife have carried a concealed weapons permit every since the trail. I love people who have no clue to what is really going on running around and talking dumb things because they have a cause and not because this guy is guilty. We listen to everything that was said and make our minds up by the evidence. We where locked up in a hotel for over 2 weeks, so we had no side influences. So who in the hell are you people telling anyone your opinions base upon no facts what so ever. You have your family threaten and then hear a bunch of morons running around telling everyone listen to me I just stupid but I need the attention. Please understand we need in this world to start dealing with the truth instead on people who job it is to make everyone a liar so they can win. By the way everyone didn't flee the scene just the hoods. The Manager of Burger King was still there plus the night guy who cleans up the place and o by the way Troy slapped the guy with his girlfriend standing there with a gun up side his head and knocked him upon the hood of the nightguy who was sitting in his car and plus the airforce guys who were park at the out window getting their food and watching all of this come down, the woman across the street that Troy almost ran over. These are the people we listen too not a bunch of hoods all trying to get free. YOU guys are probably nice people just uniformed. Next time try to get your facts straight before you said dumb things

People I reckon in order to keep freedom we have to be able to listen to the mentally retarted just as well as the truely informed. I do not mean that as a personal attack upon you, but for the last ten years i have heard nothing but the rambling of the uniformed and not very smart talking heads. So you will understand where I am coming from. I was on the jury that found Troy Davis guilty of murder. I and one of the jurist had a gentleman try to intimatidate us. One of my kids was called by these people at the same time we were deciding the trail and after I was taken home my son was followed off of our property the night I got home. I and my wife have carried a concealed weapons permit every since the trail. I love people who have no clue to what is really going on running around and talking dumb things because they have a cause and not because this guy is guilty. We listen to everything that was said and make our minds up by the evidence. We where locked up in a hotel for over 2 weeks, so we had no side influences. So who in the hell are you people telling anyone your opinions base upon no facts what so ever. You have your family threaten and then hear a bunch of morons running around telling everyone listen to me I just stupid but I need the attention. Please understand we need in this world to start dealing with the truth instead on people who job it is to make everyone a liar so they can win. By the way everyone didn't flee the scene just the hoods. The Manager of Burger King was still there plus the night guy who cleans up the place and o by the way Troy slapped the guy with his girlfriend standing there with a gun up side his head and knocked him upon the hood of the nightguy who was sitting in his car and plus the airforce guys who were park at the out window getting their food and watching all of this come down, the woman across the street that Troy almost ran over. These are the people we listen too not a bunch of hoods all trying to get free. YOU guys are probably nice people just uniformed. Next time try to get your facts straight before you said dumb things

I think the people aren't stupid, just being manipulated by those who realize they're loosing power. The Al Sharptons of the world have used this as a way to pretend to care about the community here in Savannah. The truth is that they have no way of being called a protector of their people without victimizing them. If you think I'm off base here, just give it some thought. What happens to the old-guard of civil rights if the people no longer need them? They go the way of history and so do the expensive lifestyles they've led at the expense of those they claimed to be fighting for.
It's all smoke and mirrors and the guy obviously committed this crime. He needs too give closure to not only the family of the victim, but to his family and supporters who've been victimized by his lies.

God Help us all if people like mickey13 are the ones deciding others fate because it seems that you and Christian the Jew are the only morons that I have seen so far. If you had proofread what you wrote you would obviously see that your statements wheteher fact or FICTION, makes no sense at all to anyone but yourself. So I say to you and all of "YOUR SUPPORTERS" when did GOD pass over ownership to Heaven and Hell by giving you full reign over them. Remeber there will always be more than one version of any story even when the witnesses watch the same events unfold before their very eyes. With that being said we know that everyone does not have 20/20 vision and some things might not be exactly as they thought.

1:if all you say here is True and troy Davis really is as guilty as you portray him here, what better Way would there be to show THAT to the World ( and especially to the Abolishionists!!), then to HAVE A NEW TRIAL(not forever just ONCE). Because then everyone could in fact see HOW right and without Mistakes and Coverups etc. the Georgia Justice System has functioned and How trully Guilty Troy is.
You would have nothing to loose, in fact Gain only. That is IF all of the above stated was indeed true.
2: Not long ago a confessed Murderer got HIS Death sentence commuted, by the very same Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, into a Life sentence without Parole-He is a confessed, white Murderer!!
Why cant a Equal Opportunity be granted to Troy Davis, who untill this Day swears to his Innocence and never wavered to do so!?????????
ERGO: There are certain Suspicions that arrise here and they are that THE GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA knows!!! THEY MADE GRIEVOUS MISTAKES here and Now trying BY ANY MEANS!! to cover them up-IF NOT why not profit from a second trial.....And the other one is a very ugly feeling that times of Racisms arent over in America and that even a white confessed!! Killer is Worth more then a Black Man whose Guilt is at least surrounded by inequalities and Doubts.....
In Texas a Black Man got dragged to Death by two white Man with their Truck this year and they got tried for HIT and Run....
Thats it!!!
Maeby you understand my point, maeby you still care to be equal and fair to all people OR maeby u trying to stear up racial conflicts so Obama will after all NOT become President.....and Troy is the Scapegoat for it....?????????????????????????????????????
Veganlove from Europe

1:if all you say here is True and troy Davis really is as guilty as you portray him here, what better Way would there be to show THAT to the World ( and especially to the Abolishionists!!), then to HAVE A NEW TRIAL(not forever just ONCE). Because then everyone could in fact see HOW right and without Mistakes and Coverups etc. the Georgia Justice System has functioned and How trully Guilty Troy is.
You would have nothing to loose, in fact Gain only. That is IF all of the above stated was indeed true.
2: Not long ago a confessed Murderer got HIS Death sentence commuted, by the very same Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, into a Life sentence without Parole-He is a confessed, white Murderer!!
Why cant a Equal Opportunity be granted to Troy Davis, who untill this Day swears to his Innocence and never wavered to do so!?????????
ERGO: There are certain Suspicions that arrise here and they are that THE GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA knows!!! THEY MADE GRIEVOUS MISTAKES here and Now trying BY ANY MEANS!! to cover them up-IF NOT why not profit from a second trial.....And the other one is a very ugly feeling that times of Racisms arent over in America and that even a white confessed!! Killer is Worth more then a Black Man whose Guilt is at least surrounded by inequalities and Doubts.....
In Texas a Black Man got dragged to Death by two white Man with their Truck this year and they got tried for HIT and Run....
Thats it!!!
Maeby you understand my point, maeby you still care to be equal and fair to all people OR maeby u trying to stear up racial conflicts so Obama will after all NOT become President.....and Troy is the Scapegoat for it....?????????????????????????????????????
Veganlove from Europe

Fed up you are one of the people I am talking about. It easy to see who you are working for. Truth has no meaning for you. I didnt spellcheck my article. But I am sorry, I didn't know I was talking to educated people like you. By the way I didnt have to be smart because on the Jury 2 of the people were preachers, One was black and one was white. God doesnt see in color. 4 of the Jurists were school teachers so they keep the rest of us honest and one was a Engineer so we all know how dumb he was. As I said earlier it is a shame when people just want to win and have no compassion for the families they hurt with Troy shooting one person and killing another. All of you should be ashamed of your behavior. Most people are good and honest, unfortunately we have the few who believed that anything goes as long as they win. Which one are you

You really should read Spencer Lawton's statement and other documentation on the trial rather than just rely on what you hear.

By the way, it is not a black/white thing. The race crutch always seems to come up if a black person is the guilty party. It's people like you that keep race as an issue. If Troy were white, would you have the same opinion as you do now? I can honestly tell you that if everything in the case was the exact same with the exception of Troy's race and he was white, red, blue, yellow, or whatever color, I would still believe he was guilty.

Where was all of your concern a little while back when Jack Alderman's death sentence was carried out? Alderman claimed he was innocent also. Alderman was white - that's where you were.

1.) Jesus said"render unto Caesar what is Caesars, and unto God what is God's"
In other words, follow the laws of both man and God...
2.) It's not even an argument over his guilt or innocence for me. I don't know any more than you supporting him. You just don't want to see him put to death. My big gripe is that it looks like he dd, yet keeps his "SUPPORTERS" (yes, I can use Caps as well) in the dark on things. If he did it, he should definitely make peace for his family before he dies.
3.) Your 20/20 method doesn't work when the jury obviously had more info than you're willing to look at. Have you reviewed all that they saw, or just the pieces that support your beliefs. Conclusions have to be made from the evidence, not the evidence being used to support you conclusion. (you and all the tin-foil-hats had your conclusions prepared in advance)

It's very sad to see that you're right. It saddens me more that my community hails idiots like Sharpton, who only serves to belittle the people to keep people like him in tuxes and Town cars. Without my community being :oppressed" he and the other crooks like him are out of a job.